Tag: Prayer

This prayer is attributed to St. Patrick in the Book of Armagh from the 9th Century. Scholars attest that Patrick wrote this before he confronted an Irish King with the Gospel. It’s a prayer of preparedness.

Whatever you might be facing today, know that God is right there with you.

Patrick’s Breastplate

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:

I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgment Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God’s Power to guide me,
God’s Might to uphold me,
God’s Wisdom to teach me,
God’s Eye to watch over me,
God’s Ear to hear me,
God’s Word to give me speech,
God’s Hand to guide me,
God’s Way to lie before me,
God’s Shield to shelter me,
God’s Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

The nation we call “the land of the free and the home of the brave” has been your gift to us. If it depended upon our own abilities, we would no longer be free, and we often are not brave.

You know only too well the sins of our nation and our inherent weakness. You have looked into our hearts and seen the self-centeredness. You have seen the shame that blights our land because of the sin that taints the hearts of everyone.

Yet you have not forsaken us. You have protected us.

There is a song about our nation that contains the words: “God shed his grace on thee.” And this is the only reason for our safety and security. Your love, which we do not deserve, this is our strength.

This is our only hope.

Continue to shield us with your faithful love. Continue to build up our faith in Jesus who has defeated the dominion of the devil and won the victory for us over death.

Lord, we thank and praise you for preserving and sustaining our nation for generations.

We thank you for the faithful efforts of those who have served our country. We pray that you will continue to send forth people of courage and skill to be the tools in your hands for our protection. As our troops stand guard for us in distant and dangerous places, let them call upon you to be their guard. Then, please bring them home safely.

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.A song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shieldswith fire.10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”

-Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God

A Prayer in Thanksgiving for Work

Blessed are you, Lord God,
Creator of all that is good,
for in your mercy you give us work
that we may be co-creators with you.

With hands to fashion and form,
minds to imagine what has yet to be,
hearts to care for what we have made,
and a spirit to impart to our own creations,
we rejoice in the labor you give us.

By imitating you, our God and Maker,
we continue to shape the world,
to name it and claim it
and be good stewards of your good gifts
through the life-giving Spirit that renews the earth.

So keep us mindful of the power you share with us
that we may create only that which leads to peace.
May the work of our hands and our visions and dreams
collaborate with your good will,
which continues to build for us your kingdom on earth.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

–Anonymous

Servant of All, to Toil for Man

Servant of all, to toil for man

Thou didst not, Lord, refuse;
They majesty did not disdain
To be employed for us.

Son of the carpenter, receive
This humble work of mine;
Worth to my meanest labor give
By joining it to thine.

End of my every action thou,
In all things this I see;
Accept my hallowed labor now,
I do it unto thee.

Thy bright example I pursue,
To thee in all things rise;
And all I think or speak or do
Is one great sacrifice.

Careless through outward cares I go,
From all distraction free;
My hands are but engaged below,
My heart is still with thee.